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TWU/UNT Frequently Asked Questions

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Upon successful degree completion, an M.S.W. graduate is eligible to become a Licensed Master Social Worker (L.M.S.W.), one of the most highly recognized professional titles in health and human services. Students can pursue their licensure by meeting state requirements, including passing an examination approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). Social workers who earn two years of post-graduate supervision may take the examination to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (L.C.S.W.).

A joint master’s degree program is a unique experience offered through a partnership of two or more universities. TWU and UNT have jointly developed the M.S.W. curriculum in order to provide students and faculty with a rare opportunity to draw on the strengths and resources of both universities. Students are members of one M.S.W. program that exists across two campuses.

Yes. If you completed a B.S.W. degree within the last five years and meet the program requirements, you are eligible to apply to the Advanced Standing program. Advanced Standing students may earn their M.S.W. in less than one year. B.S.W. graduates who have been continuously and successfully working in the field (but graduated more than five but not more than seven years ago), may request consideration for Advanced Standing status and an exception to the five year policy.

Program duration is determined by student status. There are two types of students admitted to the joint Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program. Full time Advanced Standing students complete the program in one year. Full time Generalist students complete the program in two years.

An M.S.W. degree opens up a broad range of career options for graduates. Direct service careers in child welfare, mental health, community practice, schools, aging, medical practice, clinical work, and many others are all available to M.S.W. graduates. Additionally, many management and administrative positions in public and private non-profit agencies are filled with M.S.W. graduates.

Students first complete a free Program Application. After program personnel review the Program Applications to ensure that applicants are eligible, students will be provided with a “home institution,” either TWU or UNT. They will be instructed to submit a formal application to their home institution through ApplyTexas. There is a fee to submit applications through ApplyTexas. If accepted, students will register at their home institution, but they will be members of both campus communities.

No credit, including course work or field practicum hours, is granted for life experience or work experience. Students must complete the full curriculum and all practicum requirements in order to graduate from the program.

No. It is a crime to present oneself as a social worker in Texas without licensure. Licensure is acquired by successfully completing a CSWE accredited educational program and passing an examination for licensure. A study guide is available through the American Association of State Social Work Boards for a fee. Information about the dates and locations of the examination and the ordering of study guides are available on the Association of Social Work Boards website. Information about applying for the licensure examination can be obtain at the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners website.

Students in the joint M.S.W. are encouraged to take the licensing exam upon completing their degree. The Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners allows graduates of M.S.W. programs that are in candidacy for accreditation with CSWE to take the exam for a license at the level of Licensed Master Social Worker (L.M.S.W.).

Texas law requires institutions that provide educational programs leading to an occupational license to notify applicants and enrollees of the program about the implications of having a felony conviction on future licensure. It is important to note that, depending on the severity of the offense and other factors, a criminal history may or may not render a person ineligible for Social Work licensure. The Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners issues all Social Work licenses in Texas. More about the Social Work board may be found here.

The Texas Department of State Health Services, which governs the Social Work board, will provide a “Criminal History Evaluation” for potential applicants or students in a Social Work program. The evaluation is meant to determine whether or not the criminal history is likely to impact licensure after completing the educational program. The fee for the Criminal History Evaluation letter is $50 and may be ordered here.

The joint M.S.W. is currently in candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Commission on Accreditation.

Candidacy for a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation indicates progress toward meeting criteria for program quality; this is evaluated through a peer review process. A program that has attained Candidacy has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the compliance standards set by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, but has not yet demonstrated full compliance.
Students who enter programs that attain Candidacy in or before the academic year in which they begin their program of study will be retroactively recognized as having graduated from a CSWE-accredited program once the program attains Initial Accreditation. Candidacy applies to all program sites and delivery methods for an accredited program. In Texas, the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners allows graduates of M.S.W. programs that are in candidacy for accreditation with CSWE to take the exam for a license at the level of Licensed Master Social Worker (L.M.S.W.).

Candidacy is typically a three-year process and attaining Candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain Initial Accreditation. Attaining accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.